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I have been a diagnosed celiac for 2 years and have been on a gluten-free
diet ever since.  I am very thin and have been unable to gain weight except
for the 2 different times my doctor has put me on prednisone.  I do gain
weight while on prednisone, but then gradually lose it after I stop taking
the prednisone.  I am 5 feet 5 inches tall and weigh 86 pounds and my
weight is going down.  My weight usually stabilizes around 82 pounds.  Is
this a common problem?  I'm afraid my doctor is going to try to get me to
take prednisone again to help me gain weight.  He thought I might have
refractory sprue and did a second biopsy this spring.  It showed normal
villi.

My other concern is that my doctor keeps calling celiac "an allergy".  He
is very intelligent and diagnosed me right away.  I am grateful for that,
but I know that celiac is not an allergy.  Could someone explain the
difference, so that I can explain it to him.

Thanks for your help!

Kathleen Shipley
Beaumont, TX